"That's a big step, Ms. Nettie. Let me steady you," Buck waited for permission to help the feisty old woman out of the van.
"I would appreciate the help," Nettie agreed.
Wilmington jumped when he realized Vin was standing beside him. "Hell, Junior, I thought you were still in the van."
"Vin hates to be in small places." Nettie patted Vin's arm.
While Mary consulted with Nettie on Vin's requirements, the others began moving equipment and luggage into the house. All with the exception of Vin, who stood quietly in the courtyard.
"He shouldn't be left on his own. Everyone is going in now," Josiah nodded toward the slender figure standing by the fountain.
"Mary has Nettie tied up," Buck reminded. "Casey and JD are already inside."
"I need to find out why a doctor's bag is a bad thing to him before I try getting close," Nathan sighed as he moved toward the two women.
"Go on in and keep an eye on things; I'll get him. Nettie said big men scared him," Chris reminded.
"Sure Chris," Buck nodded. "But Chris . . . watch yourself; there's no telling what could set him off."
"Chris, only touch him on his terms," Josiah warned.
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"Hey Vin, time to go in," Chris moved so he could approach Vin head on.
The slender fingers halted their petting motion on the wooden horse. Slowly, the bowed head raised.
What beautiful eyes. "I'm Chris. Remember Vin? We need to go in now," Larabee coaxed.
A fleeting awareness crossed Vin's features, but he ducked his head and shook it violently.
"We'll wait a minute then," Chris soothed. "It's a fountain. Water is supposed to come out of the dragon's mouth and fall into this pool," Chris explained the structure in front of them. Gently, he took Vin's free hand and laid it on the dragon's head, then moved it down to the empty pool. "Water comes from here and goes into there."
Vin pulled his hand away and covered his face. Peeking between his fingers, he smiled shyly.
"There you are. I'm glad to meet you, Vin. I'm Chris." Larabee offered his hand. Awareness was readily seen in the wide sapphire eyes when Vin reached out and grasped Chris' forearm firmly. Chris' fingers gently wrapped around Vin's slender forearm creating a bond. As suddenly as the awareness had come, it disappeared, leaving Chris with the lost child.
"Chris, they need you inside," Josiah interrupted.
"Come on Vin," Chris tugged gently on Tanner's hand, trying to start the younger man moving.
Vin drug his heels, making it very plain that he wasn't about to go in. Turning loose of Vin's hand, Chris walked to the front door leaving Tanner behind. Stopping, he looked back at the young man just before he stepped over the threshold.
Vin straightened abruptly, looking up at something. "You can't have him!" Vin snarled softly.
"Vin, did you say something?" Chris asked curiously from where he waited just inside the door.
"Cowboy," Vin said clearly and hurried after Larabee.
"Wonder if Junior knows just how much you hate being called a cowboy, stud?" Buck chuckled, slapping Chris on the back as he headed out for another load.
Vin cringed when Buck brushed by him.
//I won't hurt you, Junior.// Buck tried to reach out mentally only to encounter a barrier. Chris hates any reminders of the Elf. That pony has got to be tearing him up.
"Go on Buck, we'll be fine." Chris took Vin's hand and started down the hall.
Nathan backed away, letting the pair pass before he headed out to bring in more supplies. Relief flooded Nettie's face when Chris brought Vin into the room.
"Oh, Aunt Nettie, I'm sorry! I thought Vin was with you," Casey apologized, coming in from the kitchen.
"No harm done child," Nettie smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Mr. Larabee," Nettie hurried over.
"No problem, we looked at the fountain for a little bit. He doesn't like being indoors, does he?" Chris said.
"Vin prefers being indoors. I can hardly get him outside," Nettie disagreed.
"He sure didn't want to come in here, called me a 'cowboy'," Chris chuckled.
"He spoke to you?" Nettie's eyes widened in shock.
"Yeah, Buck heard him too," Chris answered almost defensively.
"That's the first word he's said in eight years." Nettie smiled faintly, wiping a tear off her cheek. "My Vin isn't a big talker. Not a word since I brought him home eight years ago."
Vin put his hand over his face and peeked at Nettie from between his fingers and smiled happily.
"I love you, son," Nettie whispered, stroking the boy's soft curls.
Vin held up two fingers.
"Yes, two sleeps, then we go home," Nettie sighed. Vin curled up on the floor at her feet. "Oh, no you don't, you little scamp. You sneaking in naps doesn't count. Vin Tanner, don't you pretend not to hear me," Nettie huffed in amusement.
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"What's up Sanchez?" Buck asked.
Josiah was staring at the fountain now spewing water from the dragon's mouth into the waiting basin.
"You figured out how to turn it on?" Buck wandered over.
"Not me, it just started working," Josiah muttered.
"How about that," Buck shook his head and moved over to the pile of equipment.
Josiah walked over to join him and happened to glance up. The big man froze in place as he stared at the third floor window.
"Josiah?" Nathan asked and looked up.
A huge stained glass window was displayed prominently on the upper story of the old house. Its design was that of a blossoming branch intricately pieced together. What should have been a thing of beauty left Nathan feeling strangely unsettled as a chill ran up his spine
"Josiah?" Nathan reached out and shook Josiah's arm.
"Sorry brother, let's get this stuff in the house," Josiah muttered.
The two men filled their arms with gear and disappeared into the house, leaving Buck alone in the now empty courtyard.
"You failed back then, and you're going to fail this time. Your Chris is dead. He has been for over a century," Buck swore at the now glowing window.
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A sudden gust of wind slammed the front door, shutting Buck outside. Buck tried to turn the knob only to find the door locked. He pounded on the door and rang the door bell repeatedly to no avail.
"You can't get rid of me that easy," Buck hissed. He placed his hand over the door knob and 'pushed' until he felt the bolt slide back. Violently, he physically pushed the door back and launched himself into the house. Could have been hurt bad if that door had caught me on the way through. Need to remember not to get any fingers or toes between doors and their facings. A man could loose something important like that.
Everything okay Buck?" Chris questioned when the hard breathing man entered the main hall.
"I'm fine; wind slammed the door and locked me out for a minute. We need to warn folks so nobody gets hurt with a slamming door," Buck explained.
"Damned house," Chris snarled.
"It sure is damned. Why in hell are you here, Larabee? You swore you'd never have anything to do with this place," Buck demanded furiously in a low voice.
"Mary," Chris growled. "Lawyer by the name of Fowler got her all excited about finding the old woman's journals. Mary's just positive she'll get a Pulitzer Prize out of this."
"So, where do all these folks come into it?" Buck asked in a calmer tone.
"Mary's covering her tracks. I didn't know about this ghost busting set up until this morning. Seems she's intending to get a story one way or another. If she can't find the journals . . . well, then the paper is sponsoring this whole shebang as an in-depth study of a haunted house." Chris sighed wearily.
"Let's go watch the circus." Buck smirked, "I can't wait to see Crooks' tangle with that Standish character."
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The base of operations was set up in a large parlor on the first floor. Camcorders and unnamed equipment were being unpacked by Professor Crook's crew.
"Let me help with that . . . Ivy,." JD hurried over as a tripod started to tip.
"Back off! Ivy's the one with green hair and all the piercings. She's a Wiccan, stupid. I'd stay out of her way if I were you. I'm Angel," she growled and flicked one of her earrings, drawing attention to the dangling angel. "The professor will flunk my ass if I let one of you freaks touch this stuff," The Goth snapped.
"Excuse me for trying to help," JD stalked off.
JD took a deep breath and tried to calm himself before approaching the professor.
"Professor Crooks, I can have that up and running in less than an hour if you'll let me," JD suggested quietly.
"Young man, this is very fragile and valuable equipment," the professor sniffed disdainfully.
"I know that. It's one of the reasons you should leave it alone," JD responded politely. "If you plug those leads in the way you're trying to, you're going to fry the motherboard."
"Young man, go annoy someone else, or do something you're qualified for . . . like taking out the garbage or chopping vegetables," Sidney Crooks snarled.
"Sure . . . But um, Professor . . . proximity meters only work correctly if they're not close to a heat source. The one next to the fireplace should be moved," JD suggested before heading to the kitchen looking for a way to be useful.
"Who does the little jerk think he is, telling me how to do my job," Crooks grumbled as he tried to sort out leads.
"That 'little jerk' helped design most of your equipment . . . when he was 12," Mary revealed as she set up her laptop.
"He lied to you," Crook's scoffed. "He wouldn't need the obscene amount of money your paper is offering these charlatans if he were capable of that."
"Medical bills can be very expensive, especially for those with long term illness and no insurance. JD's mother accrued a debt of over a million dollars due to hospitalization and ensuing treatments. JD's income was placed in a trust account that he cannot access until age twenty-one. His mother didn't want unscrupulous people taking advantage of him because of the money if he had to be placed in state care due to her declining health," Mary responded.
"Unfortunately, leaving him vulnerable to unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of him due to the lack of funds," Ezra's soft drawl cut in.
Mary's eyes narrowed as she turned. "Is that comment directed towards me Mr. Standish?" she demanded.
Ezra continued to shuffle his cards unconcerned. "Have you taken . . . advantage of a naive young man, Ms. Travis?" Ezra asked calmly.
"Are you going to take advantage of him Mr. Standish?" Mary smirked.
"No, Ms. Travis, I will not. Despite rumor to the contrary, I do not con children." Ezra gave her a two fingered salute. "I leave that to those totally devoid of conscience."
"It's gonna get ugly if we don't separate those two," Buck grunted.
"He has a point, Buck. Mary's stepped over the line on this thing," Chris scowled.
"She's always been pushy, but this just isn't like her," Buck looked troubled.
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"As big as this place is, we need maps," Nathan muttered.
"They wouldn't do any good," Mary laughed. "The house grows; it is constantly in flux."
"That isn't possible. Just more stories created by hysterical half-wits," Professor Crooks pontificated.
"I don't know how it works; all I know is the house . . . changes. It's why I packed ropes. We'll use them to find our way around the house." Mary sighed.